BA's Top 250 Help

Lists are generated using a Bayesian estimate that pulls data from millions of BeerAdvocate user ratings and normalizes scores based on the number of ratings for each beer.

The general statistical formula is:
weighted rank (WR) = (v ÷ (v+m)) × R + (m ÷ (v+m)) × C

R = average (mean) rating for the beer = (Rating)
v = number of ratings for the beer = (votes)
m = minimum ratings required to be considered (currently 57)
= (the average number of ratings across the dataset)
C = the mean rating across the dataset (currently 3.75)


-taken from the bottom of the 250 list

 

pro-tip better hit cali this week

you can scratch P-t-Y of the list that will be one of the 3 hardest to tick IMO

 

About a year ago I counted all of the beers I had tried on the top 250 and I had about 50. Recently I counted again, and I had about...50. This isn't because I hadn't tried anything new on the 250 list, I knew that I had checked off numerous 250 beers I hadn't had before. It was because for every new beer I had, one I had tasted prior fell out of the 250. I'm still trying my darndest to check off as many as I can, but it is an evolving beast, and trying them all is like trying to hold water (or beer) with nothing but your hands.

 

A bit of advice, coming from someone currently at 232 and semi-obsessively trying to close that thing out...

I don't want to discourage you, but you should probably be prepared to view this as a multi-year goal. Getting to the number on the list that I'm at has only come about through years of active trading, attending lots of bottle shares, doing a fair amount of beer tourism, not to mention blind luck and extreme generosity on a few beers. (Also, it didn't really become a goal until one day when I realized I'd gotten to 180 or so, at which point it sort of seemed like a good idea.)

Contrary to others, I would not particularly recommend printing out the list now and making it your goal for all time, since some of those beers are one-offs which will drop off the list after a year, but only get harder to obtain in the future.

The bottom 50 or so churns a lot. I wouldn't even pay much attention to it until you're getting quite close, except to have some idea of breweries whose beers tend to make it on to the list.

Related to that, you'll probably need to pre-emptively try / trade for a lot of beers that might make the list. (For example, currently, any IPA from Trillium, Tree House, or basically the entire state of Vermont is a good bet to hit the list.)

Ultimately, IPAs are the biggest issue with ticking the whole list. Yeah, KBBS is gonna cost an arm and a leg to trade for, but does a bottle of Triple Sunshine even still exist? And if it did, would you honestly still want to drink it? (Sad truth... it may come to the point where I answer yes to that question, but hopefully it re-releases or gets retired before I stoop to that level.) Some other IPA on the list are only released once or twice a year, and you'll need to stalk those breweries to be on top of when to put out an ISO.

Anyway, hope this is useful, and good luck!

 

I plan on doing this as well. Like others have discussed, my approach is to start from the highest, and work my way down. Only because the ones on top, are more than likely going to be in the top 250 for years to come. The lower you go, the bigger the chance they get whiped off.

Then you run into the one time IPA (or other styles that dont cellar) which are really just pointless to go after.

Good luck in your goal!

 

If I may repeat an earlier suggestion/recommendation. Tackle the Beers of Fame list first. The top 250 list is deliberately calculated in such a way as to allow a new, relatively unknown beer/brewery to rise to the level of visibility and either survive or slide back into obscurity. (Which is part of the reason it is so changeable.) The beers of Fame list is composed almost entirely of beers that have stood the test of time and proven their worth to many reviewers/raters/drinkers. If there is a beer on that list it is probably not retired and can be obtained more easily to sample, evaluate and enjoy. So focusing on that list it will be much easier for you to continue developing your own tastes and ways of deciding which beers are worth your time and money when you do get to try things from the top 250 list. There's nothing that prevents you from trying out beers from the top 250 along the way since some of them will eventually make it to the Beers of Fame list.

 

Look at a list as a guide, more than a motive for beers you want to finish.

The beer of fame list as others have mentioned already is tried and true and worth seeking out.

Never beat yourself up over beer.. it is not worth it and there's lots of easily attainable beer out there. One isn't necessarily better than the other.

 

Here's the biggest challenge with knocking out beers from the top 250 list. Looking at our top 50 beers...they are from 22 different breweries. Most of those world classl/champion breweries that have 2+ beers in the top 50 beers, have a very small distribution footprint and are sold in only 1 or a few states. Within that small distribution location, most of those top 50 beers are from the limited annual release "truck chasers" or "keg kicked in 1-2 days" in a craft bar type of beers, so even if you did find your way into the local area, the chances of acquiring them right at the time you are traveling through are very hard.

 

I wouldn't have not learned so much about beers, breweries, styles, or enjoyed such great beers, or know about them had I not gone after that list. I think it's an awesome goal even if it can be frustrating at times.

I started by tracking down whatever I can at local beer shops by walking into the shops with the list and get them to help me out since I didn't know about a lot of them and availability. It became apparent very quickly that I had to trade for a lot of them. 1.5+ years into it, a shit load of time and money, I'm only at 206 (plus probably 30 more that fell off, retired, or whatever). Surprisingly, I don't go to beer events, festivals, or even travel for beers specifically. I managed to knock off all of Alpine on the list, most Cantillons, and the majority of Hill Farmstead despite having not gone to SD, Belgium, or VT for beer.

You'll be surprised about some of these beers that seem impossible, especially if you spend time building good trade relationships. I've made so many friends in the process and they helped me along enthusiastically. Besides building good trade relationships, finding a few locals to share harder to find beers with regularly is one way to knock out a lot of those on the list.

Tackle whatever you can, but those that are on the top of the list that are not and won't likely be retired are the ones that helps get you to your goal faster. I don't recommend printing out the list for the reason @kscaldef . Expect to spend a lot of time and money, but you won't regret it one bit!

That said, don't forget that there are great beers that don't make it to that list for one reason or another. Likewise, not every beer on that list deserves to be on there.

A side note: find someone who is at it and see if you can get them to help you. Chances are they know how difficult or easy it is to trade for many of the beers on that list. Feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions or need advice. I could use a Tree House connection, too

Good luck!

 

My recommendation would be to start with the Beers of Fame list. Beers that are actually affordable and available. And in my opinion, are often as good or better than similar rarer beers.